Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. It should not be confused with the pseudoscienceApplied kinesiology (AK). While an understanding of kinesiology is fundamental for the analysis and treatment of problems in the musculoskeletal system, it is not - unlike "applied kinesiology" (AK) - a stated method for the treatment or diagnosis of illness.

The study of kinesiology is often part of the curriculum for some of the areas in which kinesiological information is used (akin to a medical study – see sports medicine).

There are some professional physical therapists who are also fully credentialed as "Registered Kinesiologists." The general difference between the job of a kinesiologist and a physical therapist is that a kinesiologist will assess movement, or problems in movement with regard to physiology, anatomy and biomechanics, while a physical therapist will actually apply therapeutic techniques to correct the identified problems.